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Books That Will Make You Go “Whaaaat!?”

February 13, 2019

If you’re like me and read around a variety of genres, there have surely been books you’ve encountered that affected you in weird and unexpected ways. And then there are those books where you put them down and have no words. Sometimes the book was so profound that you could think of no immediate response, other times you just read the equivalent of being given the gift of a seven-legged tiger. “What the heck was the author trying to do here?” You might ask, or, “What did that even mean?” or more simply: “Whaaaat!?” Below are a few books that made me and some of my friends say “Whaaaat!?”:

How Librarians Kindle Creative Sparks in Young Writers

February 11, 2019

I don’t remember the first person who saw something in my writing. I can’t recall the first time I volunteered to share a story in class, or even the moment I had the impulse to put pen to paper on my own. And yet, the cumulative impact of these instances and others like them is clear: I was affirmed as a writer from a young age. Inside and outside of school, I grew into this identity. I raised my hand during English class, I joined my high school newspaper and relished the extracurricular “Write-Off” competitions, and as I became more confident, I even asked my parents if I could sign up for a creative writing workshop offered as an extension course through a local university. It was there that I had another first: I found myself surrounded by fellow aspiring novelists, screenwriters, and playwrights… all about a decade or two older than my teenage self.

Special Needs Populations — The Library’s Got It Covered

February 08, 2019

Whether it’s the books on their shelves, the classes on the calendar, or support for utilizing any of their services, libraries want everyone — and they mean everyone — to be able to partake equally of all they have to offer. For some adult customers, a special need or disability has the potential to make engaging with the library a little challenging. Thanks to some innovative solutions, however, there are many amazing services for folks with special needs to help them make the most of their local libraries and get involved in their communities. Read on to check them out!

Navigating the Media Triangle

February 05, 2019

We all have a lifelong relationship with media — but how does the relationship work, how is it valued, and who are the parties involved in this relationship? The Media Triangle is an essential model of how our relationship with media works. Based on a model originally developed by Scottish media educator Eddie Dick, the Media Triangle shows how media operates through the engagement of the Audience, the system of Media Production, and the Text — all while each component is being influenced by culture and influencing culture in kind.

Equity Through the School Library

January 24, 2019

The problem is alarming: only ten percent of all children’s books were written by or about people of color. For the past twenty years, the Children’s Cooperative Book Center (CCBC) in Madison, Wisconsin, has collected data about diversity in children’s literature. Sadly, the “10% of authors” statistic has stayed stagnant for the last two decades.

Libraries Working Together for All Americans

January 22, 2019

Public library use is growing all across the United States. The federal Institute of Museums and Libraries (IMLS) reported in 2016 that “more than 171 million registered users, representing over half of the nearly 311 million Americans who lived within a public library service area, visited public libraries over 1.35 billion times in 2016”. Public libraries were used more than 1.3 BILLION times in that year alone. That’s a huge amount of library use in the age of Google, Facebook, smartphones, and 300 channels on TV.

3 Ways Diversity is More Than A Buzzword At The Library

January 20, 2019

“You can’t be what you can’t see.” Popularized by Marian Wright Edelman, the founder of the Children’s Defense Networks, these choice words have recently been given new life in the push for media representation. Perhaps you’ve heard about advocates such as Geena Davis (actress and founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media) or the founders of We Need Diverse Books, Ellen Oh and Dhonielle Clayton, rising up to push back against their respective industries and make their message known: Visibility matters.

When it Isn’t All on Google

January 18, 2019

Databases aren’t just for spies and students anymore. When you think of the word “database”, do some of the things that may pop into your head resemble a CIA agent hacking into a mainframe and locating “the informant” or perhaps a stressed-out college kid scouring online literature reviews? Those were my only associations for many years. However, through my public library, I was introduced to a world of databases that pertained to my non-student, non-spy life! The library had databases that suddenly made my life significantly more fun, functional, and cheap! Library databases are free with a library card and are an excellent way to be entertained, develop new career skills, stay healthy, and save lots of money!. Read on to learn about 10 of the most unexpected and incredibly useful databases that public libraries offer.

Genealogy: How Libraries Provide Tools, Training, and Support

January 17, 2019

Learning about your family tree is a fascinating quest. Whether you want to begin tracing your heritage for the first time or if you want to continue building upon your existing knowledge of your ancestors, the help of your local library is an absolute “must” in the toolbox. It’s not difficult to see why studying one’s own genealogy is a captivating hobby which only continues to grow in popularity. When you trace your heritage, you feel more connected to the ancestors who came before you. You also experience a deeper sense of the bond which all human beings share in our increasingly anonymous world today. It’s also a ton of fun to find out where your distant relatives lived, how these individuals earned a living, who they lived with, and so many other details about their lives.

Community Catalysts — Libraries and Museums

January 14, 2019

There are many similarities between libraries and museums. They each contain repositories of collected knowledge, seeking to educate their both local communities and visitors from afar. Each are staffed by dedicated and knowledgeable professionals who are always welcome to help you find the answers you need. They both work every day to enrich the lives of those they serve and contribute a thriving, educated community. Senator Susan Collins from Maine once said, “From offering job search resources and free Internet access to exposing children and families to literary and educational experiences, libraries and museums serve vital roles in our communities”. However, did you know that the similarities between libraries and museums go way deeper than that? In America, both types of institution share a link all the way to the federal budget.
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